Download Prostate Cancer

Getting checked for
Prostate Cancer
Quick guide for men and
their families and whanau
Stay well for your
family and whanau.
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doctor, nurse or health professional about
prostate cancer. You should do this from
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brother or father with prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in
New Zealand men. Some prostate cancers are
slow growing and will never cause problems.
Others grow quickly and cause serious symptoms
or death. If caught early, prostate cancer can be
managed well and can usually be cured.
What is the prostate?
All men have a prostate. The prostate is a small
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in semen.
From the age of 50, the prostate gland often
increases in size. This can cause problems when
men urinate (pee).
Bladder
Penis
Rectum
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Prostate
Urethra
Testicle
What is prostate cancer?
It is cancer of the prostate gland. While some
prostate cancers grow slowly, others can grow
rapidly or spread to other areas, such as the
bones, liver and lungs.
How common is
prostate cancer?
In New Zealand, about 3000 new cases are found
each year and more than 600 men die.
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die from prostate cancer because the cancer is
often found too late to cure.
What are the symptoms of
prostate cancer?
Early prostate cancer causes no symptoms.
As the cancer grows, it can cause symptoms
such as peeing more often, trouble starting or
stopping and often getting up at night to pee.
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If the cancer has spread outside the prostate
gland, it can cause pain in the lower back, hips
or ribs.
What is my risk of
prostate cancer?
Your risk of prostate cancer increases as you get
older and also if your brother or father has had it.
Age
Prostate cancer is more common as men get
older. It is rare in men aged under 50.
The prostate cancer risk for a man …
in his
in his
in his
in his
1 in 500
1 in 50
1 in 14
1 in 9
40s
50s
60s
70s
Men who get prostate cancer before the age
of 70 are more likely to need treatment. This is
because younger men will live with their cancer
for longer and there is more time for it to progress
and cause problems. So it’s important for younger
men to talk to their doctor, nurse or health
professional about their risk of prostate cancer.
Close relatives
Men with a father or brother with prostate cancer
are more than twice as likely to develop it. Talk to
your doctor, nurse or health professional about
your prostate cancer risk.
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had prostate cancer?
How can I reduce my risk
of dying from prostate
cancer?
You can reduce your risk of dying from prostate
cancer by:
‹ finding the cancer early
‹ having a healthy lifestyle.
Checking your risk of
prostate cancer
Having a prostate check is your decision.
It won’t tell you if you have prostate cancer.
The check assesses your risk of having it.
The check will tell you how likely you are to
have prostate cancer.
Checks usually involve a blood test – called a
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rectal examination (DRE).
The prostate-specific antigen test
This measures the level of PSA in your blood.
The prostate gland makes PSA.
Higher than normal levels of PSA can be caused
by an infection of the prostate gland, by an
enlarged prostate (not cancer) or by prostate
cancer.
Most men with a higher than normal PSA level
won’t have prostate cancer. However, your overall
risk of having prostate cancer is higher if you have
a higher level of PSA than normal.
Digital rectal examination
This is a quick way for your doctor to check
for prostate problems.
To feel the surface of your prostate, the doctor
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(bottom). You are more likely to have prostate
cancer if your prostate feels rough, hard or
irregular.
Remember:
‹ some men with prostate cancer will still have
normal PSA levels
‹ some DRE may not find very small cancers.
Tests to confirm
prostate cancer
Your doctor will discuss your prostate check
results with you. If the results indicate that
you have a higher risk of prostate cancer, your
doctor will refer you to a specialist.
The specialist will discuss having a biopsy –
which is a test that looks at a sample of your
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you have cancer.
Prostate cancer that is found early can
usually be cured. If cancer is found, your
specialist will discuss treatment options with you,
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For more information about prostate cancer
checks, tests and treatments, see the booklet
Prostate Cancer: More Information.
Prostate checklist
for men
Choosing whether to have a prostate check
is an important decision. You need to have
enough information to make the decision that
is right for you and your loved ones.
If you answer ‘Yes’ to any of the following,
talk to your doctor, nurse or health
professional.
Yes/No
I am peeing more often.*
When I pee, I have trouble
getting started or stopping.*
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dribbling.*
I often get up at night to pee.*
I have blood in my urine.*
I have pain in my lower back,
hips or ribs.*
I have a family history of
prostate cancer and I’m 40
years old or more.
I am 50 to 70 years old.
I am concerned or want to know
more.
*Answering yes to any of these points may not
mean you have cancer but you should get
them checked by your doctor, nurse or health
professional straight away.
More information
More information on prostate cancer
checks, tests and treatment is
available from:
‹ your doctor or health service
‹ the booklet Prostate Cancer:
More Information (available from
your doctor, health service or the Ministry
of Health)
‹ the Cancer Society of New Zealand
Information Service
(Freephone 0800 226 237)
‹ the Prostate Cancer Foundation
of New Zealand
(Freephone 0800 477 678).
Useful websites include:
‹ The Cancer Society of New Zealand
www.cancernz.org.nz
‹ Get the Tools – the Nuts and Bolts of
Men’s Health www.getthetools.org.nz
‹ The Prostate Cancer Foundation
www.prostate.org.nz
‹ The Ministry of Health
www.health.govt.nz
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go to www.healthed.govt.nz.
November 2013. Code: HE2400